Charles Paskins
Charles Paskins, 1829 - 1879, footman, butler, pub landlord.
Mine is a tale of enterprise and challenge. When I was still working at 12 Brunswick Square as a humble footman, I met Susan Nye who was a housemaid. Romance blossomed and in 1853 we were married. My servant duties were tedious supporting the butler and the hours long. I took a step up in my career to become the butler at No 43 Brunswick Square, but we were still trapped in service. Fellow servants in Brunswick Town were on the whole a friendly bunch and we especially made lifelong friends of the Simmond’s sisters Fanny, Charlotte and Mary Ann.
We were an ambitious group and when in 1864 the opportunity arose to become the landlord of the Compton Arms on Dyke Rd, I welcomed this. It was a large, busy pub with many rooms used for committee meetings and inquests. Sadly, our fortune ran out. Soon our daughter died at only six months old, and then shortly after I lost Susan to tuberculosis. Life was busy and so I rushed headlong into a disastrous and stormy marriage to Margaret Allen a year later. We even hit the newspapers, me being accused of physical abuse and Margaret labelled as a ‘heavy drinker’. It was inevitable that Margaret died within a few years.
Fortunately when I passed away in 1879 The Compton Arms remained within the family with my daughter and her friend Fanny Simmonds running it in partnership as licensed victuallers. Even my brother Elias got in on the act and married sister Mary Ann Simmonds and went on to run the Hare & Hounds, a pub on London Road. When Mary Ann died, sister Charlotte took over helping in the pub.
Running a pub was not an easy job and especially with the ongoing threat of changes to licensing regulations. But the biggest gain was being your own boss and not running around supporting both the senior servants or his lordship. It was the very best of opportunities for brave and resourceful servants. And in this case showed the strength and loyalty of friends and families.
Cheers, Charles